WWII Fashion with US Bomber Jacket Art

When it comes to WWII fashion, nobody will beat the Nazi uniforms. But in our opinion, the Type A-2 leather flight jacket, worn by the U.S. Army Air Forces pilots, navigators, and bombardiers is a close second. And most often than not, these men decorated their jackets with squadron patches and elaborate artwork painted on the back. Each man’s personality could be seen in their own personal touch to the jacket.

As with most WWII fashion, especially when it came to the makeshift one, the artists had to make to with whatever was at hand, or with whatever they could get their hands on. This, of course, included the paint. Some made use of enamels if they could get it, others use lead based paint or oil-based paint. The most common color, however, was yellow; which was used for the airplanes themselves. But since most of these paints weren’t supposed to be used on leather, they usually rubbed off, flaked off, and eventually faded away.

And what started off as a mere fun activity, soon enough turned into a full-fledged pseudo-industry for some of the more talented in the base. Given the pin-up craze that was taking place at about the same time, it’s no surprise that many jackets have them.

What do you guys think about this WWII fashion statement? Each man showing what was important to him at the time. Please leave us your opinion in the comment section below, and if you enjoyed it, also share it with your friends. That’s if you want, of course.